#8. Beneficiary share- Road towards sustainability
Blahar Mehma falls in Bhatinda district. With the repeated name change of the district, the constant is the service of the people for the community. A very eloquent and exemplary instance is the relinquishing of individual land by the acting Sarpanch to the benefit of the village community to get uninterrupted and affordable water supply. Ms Charanjeet Kaur, the acting Sarpanch of the village was bartered another land parcel in exchange for the present land surrendered by her, showing the parity maintained by the community.
Blahar Mehma village has a total population of approximately 2000 with 668 hectares. The 390 houses in the village are catered by the water supply scheme worked by the community with the help of the GPWSCs and the Department of Water Supply and Sanitation, Punjab.
Punjab being the state of five rivers had access to various water sources however, the availability of the water sources did not guarantee accessible and safe drinking water for the village. The village faced groundwater contamination from the last few years becoming the cause of spreading diseases due to the ill-maintenance and negligence on the water quality required. The village did not have proper accessibility to the water as the receivable was from the nearby village called as Dhan Singh Wala.
The former assessment of the village fortified the joint efforts from the Department of Water Supply and Sanitation, Punjab and the community members with the support of World Bank on a budget of Rs. 116.69 lacs to construct canal-based water supply.
In order to construct the water works, the Sarpanch of the village forfeited the possession of her individual property for the equal distribution of water received from the water sources to each household in the village. This enhanced the water availability to provide 95% of the water demanded by the villagers in lieu of beneficiary share prearranged by the GPWSC.
This project of the water supply scheme can be used as a finest and model example of community participation and efforts, the pioneer of it being the Sarpanch, Ms. Charanjeet Kaur, GPWSC members and the residents of the village.
Under the supervision of the chairman Mr. Mandar Singh and Secretary Mr. Sikander Singh, GPWSC is institutionally, technically, and financially sustained. The on-ground staff is also performing with zeal to keep up with the performance expectations like Mr. Ravinder Singh, the pump operator and bill collector.
Paani di Kahaani (ਪਾਣੀ ਦੀ ਕਹਾਣੀ) 